Some evacuations come with days of notice and some with minutes, so plan for the short version. Decide what you grab, where you go and which road you take, while there is no reason to.
If officials say to leave, go. Having the plan is what makes going fast possible.
What to grab
- Pick five grabs that would be hard to replace, like medicines, the fireproof box and phone chargers.
- Give each grab an owner, including children old enough to carry something.
- Keep a go bag packed light enough that the person carrying it can still walk with it.
Where and how
- Name two places to go. Look up a pet-friendly place ahead of time, since many shelters cannot take pets.
- Write a main route and a backup that separates from it early. A backup that merges into the main road a mile later can fail at the same moment.
- Avoid roads that flood, and never drive across flooded ones.
- During storm season, keep the gas tank at least half full.
- If you have no car, write down how you would travel and who could drive you.
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Our leave-town plan
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Go bag, car kit and car readiness
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General information for families, not legal, medical or financial advice. In an emergency, follow local officials and call 911.
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